Dispensing device for safety matches



Dec. 11, 1928.

'R. G. SEEL DISPENSING DEVICE FOR SAFETY MATCHES Filed Sept v, 1926 Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REID-AR G. SEED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DISPENSIZ N'G DEVICE FOR SAFETY MATCHES.

Application filed September 7, 1926. Serial No. 133,740.

This is sometimes inconvenient, particularly when a cooking utensil is held in one hand and it is desired to light the gas with the other. Inconvenience also sometimes arlses due to the smaller number of matches in a box, as a fresh box must 'frequentlybe obtained from a source of supply often times at a distance.

The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a light and simple match dispensing device which may be manufactured at a low cost, adapted to hold boxes of safety matches so as readily to permit the removal of said boxes one by one and also to so hold a single box that the matches may be removed readily therefrom and struck on the friction surface provided on the edge of the box.

The present device is formed'of but two ieces of pressed sheet metal joined together y providing projecting lugs or tongues at the edges of one section which are inserted through slots in the other section, the said lugs being then turned at right angles to secure the two parts together.

It is believed the further description of the device will be understood most readily from a detailed description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a face -view of applicants dispensing device, showing a box of matches mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig- 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate the same arts in the several views, 10 represents a Eat strip of sheet metal having the edges rebent, as indicated at 11 in Fig. 3. This expedient not only rovides a smooth and rounded edge for t e device, but also forms a rear surface for engagement with the wall or other medium upon which the dispenser is mounted, Within which lies the ends of the securing lugs, above referred to. The strip 10 is provided at the top and bottom with openings 12 and 13 adapted to receive tacks or other devices, by means of which the plate 10 may firmly be secured in position.

Secured to the plate 10 is a second sheet metal member 14 somewhat U-shaped in cross section, as disclosed in Fig. 3. The art 14 is provided on the edges thereof with t j ecting lugs or tongues 15 which pass through slots 16 in the plate 10, the ends of said lugs being turned inwardly at'the back of the plate at right angles, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 3, in order firmly together.

The member 14 and plate 10 are arranged to provide therebetween a rectan ular channel 16 adapted to receive a plurallty of boxes 17 of safety matches. These boxes may be introduced into the channel 16 by merely inserting them in the top, and as the boxes are slightly smaller than the channel, they will thereupon drop by gravity to the bottom of the container. The outer face of the member 14 near the bottom thereof, is cut away for a distance slightly greater than the width of a match box, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 2. The sides of the member 14, co-extensive with the opening 18, are cut away as indicated by the dotted line 19 in Fig. 2, to ermit the ends of the lowermost box 17 0 matches to be grasped between the thumb and finger and withdrawn from its position, whereu on the whole column of match boxes will escend until the next box occupies the lowermost position. A part of the material cut away to produce the opening 18 is turned inwardly to e pro-v screws,

to secure the two parts may be placed in engagement with the por-- tion 22 and the box forced downwardly so that the shell of the box is firmly grasped between the face of the part 14 and the tongue 21. The drawer 23 of the box, however, will be held against downward movement, thus causing the box shell or casing to move relative to the drawer so as to present the matches within the box in a position to be readily removed and struck upon the friction surface 24 provided at the edge of the box. Thus it will be seen that the present device not only provides convenient storage s ace for a store of five or more boxes of mate es so arranged that the boxes ma readily be withdrawn one by one, but urther provides a mounting means for the boxes so that a match may be taken from the box and ignited on the friction surface thereof, thus avoiding the possible objections above referred to.

As the device herein disclosed is formed of but two pieces or strips of stamped or pressed sheet material, it may be manufactured very cheaply, yet provides a dispensin device of t e maximum compactness, lig tness and utility. The device herein disclosed will preferably be formed of sheet metal, but its manufacture is not limited to the use of this material as other sheet material, such as fibre and the like may be substituted therefor with very satisfactory results. It, therefore, is to be understood that certain modifications in the dispenser herein disclosed are contemplated by the inventor. The protection therefor should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A match dispensing device comprising two strips of pressed or stamped sheet material, one of said strips being substantially fiat or plane, the other said strip being generally U-shaped in cross section, tongues formed on the edges of the said U-shaped strip adapted to be received by slots in the plane strip whereby the said stri s are secured together to form a channe thereb'etween, the face of said U-shaped strip being cut away adjacent to the lower end thereof for a distance substantially equal to the width of a match box, a portion of said cut away portion being turned inwardly to form a ottom for the channel, and an upwardly di rected resilient tongue pressed from the face of said U-shapcd member above the cut away portion adapted to be received by the shell or casing of a match box, whereb the said box may be secured to the face 0 said U-shaped member.

2. A match dispensing device comprising wo strips of pressed or stamped sheet material, one of said stripsbeing substantially flat or plane,the other said strip being generally U-shaped in cross section, tongues formed on the edges of the said U-shaped strip adapted to be received by slots in the plane strip whereby the said strips are secured together to form a channel therebetween adapted to receive a stack or column of match boxes, the face of said U-shaped strip bein cut away adjacent to the lower end thereof for a dis tance substantially equal to the width of a match box, a portion of said cut away portion bein turned inwardly to form a bottom for the c annel, and an upwardly directed resilient tongue pressed from the face of said U-shaped member above the cut-away portion ada ted to be received by the shell or casing o a match box whereby the said box may e secured to the face of said U-shaped member, the upper end of'said tongue being curved outwardly to form a support for the drawer of the box.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

REIDAR G. SEEL. 

